Mudd's Women (episode)
The Enterprise rescues a con man named Harry Mudd who is trafficking in mail order brides. Summary 's "cargo"]] The [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] chases an unregistered starship, a small J class cargo vessel. Fleeing, the ship approaches an asteroid belt with a Schiller Rating of 35. The small ship's peril increases further when its desperate speed causes its engines to overheat. As the cargo ship drifts into the asteroid belt, the Enterprise is forced to extend its shields around the ship, and this extreme power expenditure destroys three of the crucial lithium crystal circuits. Scotty manages to beam the ship's master and three lovely women off just before an asteroid destroys it with a dead-center hit. The ship's master, speaking with a broad Irish brogue, identifies himself as Leo Francis Walsh. He claims he avoided the Enterprise out of fear that it was a hostile vessel. In the transporter room, Scotty and McCoy are immediately transfixed by the three women, as are all the male crew members as the women saunter through the ship. "Walsh," a charismatic figure but clearly a con man, plays up the women's effect in a manner suggestive of a pimp, but notes that Spock, being half-Vulcan, is immune to their charms (though a slight smile from Spock as the women pass by suggests this is not completely true). Captain Kirk is enraged by the irresponsible actions of "Walsh," who explains that the women, Eve McHuron, Magda Kovacs, and Ruth Bonaventure, are not so much crew as cargo... Still insisting his name is Walsh, the captain tries to blame Kirk for the accident. Kirk has him confined to quarters pending a hearing. Meanwhile, all ship's power is being channeled through a single lithium crystal circuit—and the crystal has a hairline fracture at its base. The bypass circuits were also burned out in the rescue attempt. Repairs are needed, and that means a visit to the nearest source of crystals, the mining colony on Rigel XII. Before the ship's hearing, "Walsh" meets with the women and coaches them on their testimony, advising them not to lie, but mysteriously ordering them not to submit to a medical exam. At the inquiry, Kirk learns the women are to be wives for settlers on Ophiucus III; each voluntarily left a situation where her marriage prospects were slim or non-existent. Leo Walsh's real identity, Harcourt Fenton Mudd, also comes out. He has a long history of convictions for smuggling, transport of stolen goods, and purchasing of a space vessel with counterfeit currency, and has been sentenced to psychiatric treatment, which was ineffective. His ship's master's license has also been revoked. Kirk decides to hand Harry Mudd over to legal authorities as soon as possible. Toward the end of the hearing, the final lithium crystal fails—and when Harry overhears Kirk's orders to contact the miners on Rigel XII, he begins to plan how the situation can work to his advantage: The women can work their charms on the "lonely, isolated, overworked, rich lithium miners," and get a much better deal for themselves; Harry himself dreams of taking over the Enterprise with all his new fortune. Strangely, he delivers this whole speech in front of Vinci and another security guard. Using their allure, the women learn about the miners; there are three of them—i.e., one for each woman. The mystery of the women deepens when Ruth sets off an alert on McCoy's medical scanner. McCoy wonders whether they're actually so beautiful as they seem, or whether there's something else responsible for their allure. Eve visits Kirk's quarters, claiming she's feeling harrassed by the men onboard, but is unable to go through with her flirtation, blurting out that Harry put her up to it. She flees to Harry's quarters and tells him she's feeling ill, saying "It's time." Magda manages to steal a communicator; Harry uses it to contact the miners before Kirk, and hammers out a deal. But back in Harry's quarters, the women begin physically breaking down, turning terribly old and haggard. Just in time, Harry finds a pillbox he had hidden in his mattress, and gives one pill to each of them, immediately restoring their good looks. As Eve is turning the crystalline "Venus pill" over in her hand, Spock is examining a burned out lithium crystal. The miners come onboard the Enterprise, but when Kirk offers them an equitable price he learns they really want to barter. They want to look at Mudd's women, and maybe trade for them. On top of which, they want Mudd released, the charges dropped. Mudd has Kirk over a barrel as the ship's functions are starting to shut down without the crystals. Kirk, Spock, and Harry beam down to the forbidding surface of Rigel XII, where the women are now living it up with Ben Childress and the other miners. Childress keeps Kirk waiting for the crystals, and the miners start fighting over Ruth and Magda. Eve, already conscience-stricken about the deception, runs out into a storm. Childress goes out to find her, and the two go missing as the Enterprise, still without the crystals, begins to run out of energy. Back aboard ship, Kirk snaps at Scotty, but apologizes, and Scotty tells him the ship has five hours of power left. Childress finds Eve and brings her back to his quarters, and the Enterprise locates them through the heat of a cookstove in his hut—Eve is cooking for Childress. Kirk and Harry prepare to beam down. Childress and Eve, both prickly characters, begin to warm up to each other as Eve proves more resourceful than Childress expected. But soon Eve's looks begin to fade again. As they start fighting, Kirk and Harry arrive, and explain about the Venus drug, which Childress had heard of but thought was a legend. He and the other miners are dismayed to learn that Harry has sold them a bill of goods: The women's natural beauty and allure has been enhanced by the Venus drug. Two of the miners have already married Mudd's women. The chief miner is angry, and Eve berates him for being more interested in the pill than in a real woman. She takes the pill and turns beautiful again. Childress isn't happy because her beauty is a fake, but Kirk reveals that he switched the pill with a placebo. Eve's beauty is the result of her own self-confidence. Childress is happy about this, and asks her to stay and talk. Kirk and Harry beam back up, and Kirk turns down Harry's request to let him go. Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 1328.8. The USS Enterprise in pursuit of an unidentified vessel.'' *''Captain’s log, stardate 1329.1. We’ve taken aboard from unregistered transport vessel its captain and… and three unusual females. These women have a mysterious magnetic effect on the male members of my crew including myself. Explanation unknown at present!'' *''Captain’s log, stardate 1329.2. On board the USS Enterprise, a ships hearing is being convened against the transport vessel's captain. I becoming concerned about the almost hypnotic effect produced by the women.'' *''Captain’s log, stardate 1330.1. Position 14 hours out of Rigel XII. We’re on auxiliary impulse engines, fuel low, barely sufficient to achieve orbit over the planet. Lithium replacements are now imperative! The effect of Mudd’s women on my crew continues to grow, still totally unexplained. Harry Mudd is confined to his quarters under guard.'' *''Captain’s log, transporting down to surface of planet Rigel XII to acquire replacement Lithium crystals; expect further difficulty from miners.'' *''Captain’s log, have transported aboard the Enterprise to implement search with infrared scanners and sensing system. Magnetic storms on the planets surface are cutting down speed and efficiency of our equipment. Search now in progress for three hours eighteen minutes.'' *''Captain’s log, I’ve expended all but 43 minutes of power; ships condition critical. Search now in progress seven hours thirty one minutes. Magnetic storms are easing.'' Memorable Quotes "What if they ask our—" "They won't! ''" : - '''Harry Mudd' and Magda Kovacs (sighs) "Aye..." "Amen to that, Scotty!" : - Scott and McCoy, after watching Mudd's "cargo" walk away "Don't you think you could "accidentally" manage to leave me behind here? On ''this planet, that would be punishment enough." "''I can't do that, Harry. But I will appear as a character witness at your trial... if you think that'll help." "They'll throw away the key!" : - Mudd and Kirk "That jackass Walsh not only destroyed his own vessel, but in saving his skin—" "If it makes you feel any better, engineer, that's one jackass you're going to see skinned." : - Scotty and Kirk "Oh, that sound of male ego. You travel halfway across the galaxy and it's still the same song. There ... are you going to eat or talk?" : - Eve McHuron "Is this the kind of wife you want, then? Not someone to help you — not a wife to cook, and sew, and cry, and need. This kind — selfish, vain, useless. Is this what you really want? All right then, here it is." : - Eve McHuron "There's only one kind of woman..." "Or man, for that matter–" "You either believe in yourself or you don't." : - Kirk and Mudd "Blast that tin-plated ''pot!" : - '''Mudd', after the computer reveals his lies "Is it that we're tired, and they're beautiful? And they are ... ''incredibly beautiful." "''Are they, Jim? Are they actually more lovely, pound for pound, measurement for measurement, than any other women you've known? Or is it that they just ... well ... ''act beautiful? No, strike that, strike that." "''What are they, Bones?" "You mean are they ... 'alien illusions'? That sort of thing?" "I asked you first." "No. Any alien smart enough to pull this would be smart enough to keep my medical scanner from going 'bleep!'" "I don't follow you." "I don't either." : - Kirk and McCoy, on Mudd's Women "And the ladies? Is this your crew, Captain?" "No, Captain. This ... is me cargo." : - Kirk and Mudd "You're a hard-nosed one, Captain!" "And you're a liar, Mr. Walsh. I think we understand each other." : - Mudd and Kirk "Gentlemen, I look upon this as a sacred, public trust. I've devoted me entire life to it." "Incorrect." "Well, I'm ''about ... to ... start devoting my entire life to it."'' : - Mudd and the Enterprise Computer Background Information * The theme of the virtuous hag and the faithless beauty appears frequently in literature, often with a magical element wherein one woman can be either and a man must decide which one he wants her to be. The most familiar example is probably in the Wife of Bath's tale in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. * The velour uniforms used in this episode have shrunk since they were first used in "The Corbomite Maneuver" Lt. Uhura is dressed in a gold uniform. According to Justman/Solow's book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, the velour uniforms shrank every time they were cleaned. The actors' union requirements specified that the costumes had to be cleaned daily. * This story, written by Gene Roddenberry, was one of the candidates for the second pilot, which is probably why it has an earlier stardate despite being filmed after "Corbomite". The other candidates were "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (which became the second pilot) and "The Omega Glory" (filmed near the end of the second season). * The first draft of this episode's script was completed on . A final draft was completed on 26 May, with a revised final draft turned in on 31 May. * This episode is the first appearance of Harry Mudd. The character returns in TOS: "I, Mudd", and in TAS: "Mudd's Passion". * When Mr. Farrell plots the course ordered by Mr. Spock, his shirt has no insignia on it. (This error would also crop up in "The Enemy Within"; both with Farrell and Kirk.) * Kirk's quarters has a window in this episode and a few others to follow. These may not be his normal quarters because Spock directs the turbolift to take him, Mudd and the women to Deck 12. The window will disappear in subsequent episodes. Kirk's quarters are later situated on Deck 5. * The quarters used by Mudd and his ladies is Kirk's quarters set with all of the furnishings removed. * Eddie Paskey appears in green coveralls for the only time in the series as "Connors" in sickbay, although it sounds like DeForest Kelley calls him "Thenners." * Also unique to this episode is the reaction the medicomp panel has to Ruth. Only two lights are visible on the panel and it makes some very bizarre sounds. As McCoy himself says, "It's not supposed to do that!" * Harlan Ellison visited the set during the filming of "Mudd's Women". * A reaction shot of DeForest Kelley in the transporter room is actually lifted from later in the episode in sickbay. This creates a continuity error: McCoy wears his usual uniform, but in the close-up reaction shot he wears his medical tunic. In the same scene, an editing glitch has the women shown lined up in a row before they have stepped off the transporter pads. * Although his offense record says that Harry Mudd is 6'1", Roger C. Carmel was actually 6'3". This can be shown in comparison to William Shatner, who is shorter than 6'3". * The backdrop lighting used in this episode for Rigel XII, with tornadic streaks in it, was also utilized in "The Enemy Within". * Footage of the asteroids is reused from "The Cage". * Alexander Courage composed the music for this episode's trailer, one of only two times music was written specifically for a preview. His sultry trombone music was so appropriate, it was used in the actual episode as the women stroll through the corridors, while the rest of the score was written by Fred Steiner. Courage composed the soundtrack for the preview of "The Man Trap", which he scored, likely as his first assignment for the new series, as that episode was the first one aired. * Harry says to Mr. Spock: "You're part Vulcanian, aren't you?" Harry was somehow able to distinguish this in Spock, apparently on sight. This may mean that Spock was not the first Vulcan hybrid. It is possible that, in the early days of TOS, Mr. Spock was meant to look more human than most full-blooded "Vulcanians," which would explain Harry's ability to recognize his hybrid status on sight. In later episodes, and throughout the films and later series, Spock looks like any full-blooded Vulcan. * Mudd appears to be wearing the same clothing on the ''Enterprise'' that he wore in his mug shot. * The VHS edition of this episode is available through Amazon under ISBN 6300213080, the 2-episode DVD with "The Enemy Within" under ISBN 6305513414. * Each of the three women represents a different primal element: Eve McHuron was born on a farming planet (earth); Ruth Bonaventure lived on a pelagic (water) planet; and Magda Kovacs is described as having come from the "Halium Experimental Station" (air). Although the fourth element – fire – is not represented, presumably this is accounted for by the intense desire all three women create among the male crewmen of the ''Enterprise''. * Jerry Finnerman photographed the women in soft-focus in this episode, a technique he would use frequently in the series, as well as on actress Cybill Shepherd in the series Moonlighting two decades after his work on Trek. * This is the only episode where the crystals that power the Enterprise's engines are called "lithium." Throughout the rest of the series, the crystals are called "dilithium." Links and References Starring * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock Guest Star * Roger C. Carmel as Harcourt Fenton Mudd Co-Starring * Karen Steele as Eve McHuron Featuring * DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy * Maggie Thrett as Ruth * Susan Denberg as Magda And * James Doohan as Scott * George Takei as Sulu * Jim Goodwin as Farrell * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura * Gene Dynarski as Ben * Jon Kowal as Herm * Seamon Glass as Benton * Jerry Foxworth as Security Guard Uncredited * Frank da Vinci as Vinci * Eddie Paskey as Connors * Unknown actor as Bobby References 2263; asteroid; asteroid belt; bypass circuit; converter assembly; cook stove; distress signal; double jack; gelatin; Halium Experimental Station; infrared; J class; lithium crystal; lithium crystal circuit; magnetic storm; master; Ophiucus III; registration beam; Rigel XII; Saturnius harem girl; Schiller Rating; sensor probe; solitaire; subspace radio marriage; Venus drug; Walsh, Leo External Links * |next= |lastair= |nextair= }} Category:TOS episodes de:Die Frauen des Mr. Mudd es:Mudd's Women fr:Mudd's Women nl:Mudd's Women sv:Mudd's Women